Thomas Alva Edison is considered one of the greatest inventors of the world. From the invention of light bulbs, to developing devices capable of recording sound, this renowned scientist has done it all. Let’s look at some unknown facts about Thomas Alva Edison.
Unknown facts about Thomas Alva Edison
1) As a child, Edison had an unusually broad forehead and a head which was considered larger than an average human’s.
2) He did not have any formal education as a child. As a hyperactive child, Edison’s teachers were not able to handle him properly, which led his mother to remove him from school and tutor him at home until the age of 11.
3) As an avid fan of Shakespeare, Edison once wanted to be an actor, however, he soon gave up on the idea because of his extreme shyness in front of crowds.
4)Edison published his own newspaper, the Grand Trunk Herald, at the age of 13. He used to publish up to date stories and the newspaper soon became a hit.
5) Edison once made a device which could kill cockroaches using electricity.
6) One of his biggest failures as an inventor was when he tried to invent a device to separate ore from rock and lost millions in the process.
7) Two of Edison’s children were nicknamed “Dot” and “Dash,” in honour of his telegraph days.
8) He used over 2,500 books to keep a record of his progress on thousands of inventions.
With more than 512 patents under his name, Thomas Alva Edison was also the first scientist to employ a team of researchers under him. A scientist turned entrepreneur, Edison is an inspiration to many scientists.
Which fact about Thomas Alva Edison surprised you the most? Comment below and let us know.
Info Edge (India) Ltd shareholders have overwhelmingly approved an investment of up to ₹1,000 crore in the company’s third venture capital fund, Info Edge Ventures Fund III. The proposal received near-unanimous backing, with 99.9995% of valid votes in favor out of 1,274 participants.
Smartweb Internet Services Ltd, a wholly owned Info Edge subsidiary, will act as sponsor and investment manager for the new fund. This move strengthens Info Edge’s commitment to backing early-stage startups and expanding its footprint in India’s venture capital landscape.
Info Edge has a strong track record as an early investor in leading Indian startups like Zomato and PB Fintech, with combined holdings in these firms valued at ₹31,500 crore ($3.7 billion) as of March 31, 2025.
MeitY Startup Hub (MSH), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has partnered with fintech leader Razorpay to support the growth of deeptech and emerging tech startups across India, with a special focus on those in Tier II and III cities. Through this collaboration, early-stage startups will gain access to Razorpay’s fintech infrastructure, mentorship, and resources via the Razorpay Rize program.
Startups in areas like AI, blockchain, robotics, and IoT will benefit from streamlined company incorporation support, expert mentorship, product credits, and guidance for applying to global accelerators such as Y Combinator. Selected founders will also join the exclusive Rize Community, connecting with peer networks and attending masterclasses.
MSH CEO Panneerselvam Madanagopal emphasized that this partnership will help founders scale faster by providing vital support in mentorship, capital access, and digital infrastructure. As India’s startup ecosystem surpasses 159,000 DPIIT-recognised startups, this initiative aims to give deeptech entrepreneurs the tools and networks needed to innovate for India and expand globally.
Info Edge, the parent of Naukri.com, has achieved a 36% gross internal rate of return (IRR) on its startup investments since 2007, turning a total investment of INR 3,959 crore across 111 startups into a portfolio now valued at INR 36,855 crore-a nearly 9X gain. Early bets on Zomato and Policybazaar have been especially lucrative, with holdings in these two companies alone worth INR 31,500 crore as of March 2025.
The company’s investment strategy spans multiple vehicles, including the SEBI-registered Info Edge Venture Fund (IEVF), Info Edge Capital, and Capital 2B, with a combined fund corpus of INR 3,423 crore and Info Edge committing INR 1,614 crore. Early-stage investments now contribute 30-40% of the company’s overall value.
Info Edge’s Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) investments have yielded an IRR of 18.7%. Many portfolio companies, such as TrueMeds, Geniemode, Attentive.ai, and InPrime, have attracted follow-on funding from major investors like Accel, Peak XV Partners, and Tiger Global. Notably, BlueStone, the largest investment of Info Edge Capital, has filed for an IPO after securing investments from Prosus, Peak XV, and Steadview Capital. Founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani emphasized the company’s focus on strong governance and financial controls, with a preference for value realization through public listings or strategic exits.